Liverpool Inks Deal With U.S.-Based Cloud Storage Company
English Premier League powerhouse Liverpool F.C. is launching a partnership with a Boston-based cloud storage company, Wasabi Technologies. Financial details of the deal were not provided.
With the sports industry increasingly driven by data, from analytics that drives player development to fan experience and security, clubs are looking for ways to harness huge volumes of data and store them safely.
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Nearly half of EPL clubs have similar partnerships with tech firms, but most are from Europe. Liverpool’s latest partnership presents a unique opportunity to align the two brands’ global strategies as the club deepens its ties in the U.S., which started with a decade ago when the Fenway Sports Group, led by Boston Red Sox owner John Henry, acquired a controlling stake in Liverpool.
Liverpool is not Wasabi’s only connection with Fenway Sports Group. Wasabi is the title sponsor of the Fenway Bowl, a postseason college football game at FSG’s Fenway Park.
“Data is becoming increasingly central to how the world of sports operates,” said Drew Crisp, SVP of digital at Liverpool. “Like all businesses, we sit on vast quantities of data that span a very broad set of categories.”
Crisp said capturing and protecting fan data is of the highest importance to Liverpool. “Ultimately, we aim to satisfy our fans globally by providing them with relevant information that is of interest to them.” While the club has no immediate plans to store athletes’ data, they will use Wasabi’s services to archive information and large media files that need near-real-time access.
Wasabi says it allows clients to store and instantly access an unlimited amount of data. “We are six times faster than the fastest one out there,” Michael Welts, chief marketing officer of Wasabi told Sportico in an interview. “So it’s not only the fact that we’re 80% cheaper than the market leader, Amazon, we’re also 600% faster.”
The company has been providing services across many the sports industry, from auto racing to hockey to university programs and MLB, and soon a “very highly recognized soccer league around the world,” Welts said. “Liverpool Football Club has a fanbase and global reach that is second to none. The club is also driven to be the technology trailblazer in an increasingly data-driven sports world.”
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